Lions 100: The greatest players to have toured with the British & Irish Lions: Rugby Union - Telegraph First 15s: Full-backs JPR Williams (left) and Gavin Hastings Photo: COLORSPORT / GETTY IMAGES Wing command: Jason Robinson (left) and Ieuan Evans Photo: EPA / GETTY IMAGES Midfield maestros: Jeremy Guscott (left) and Mike Gibson Photo: GETTY IMAGES Welsh wizards: Fly-halves Barry John (left) and Phill Bennett Photo: GETTY IMAGES Prop idols: Graham Price (left) and Tom Smith Photo: COLORSPORT / GETTY IMAGES Pack leaders: hookers Keith Wood (left) and Brian Moore Photo: GETTY IMAGES Key locks: Martin Johnson (left) and Gordon Brown Photo: AP / GETTY IMAGES England national rugby union team | Rugby Union | Fandom powered by Wikia England national rugby union team England national rugby union team 242pages on First international (also the world's first) Scotland 4 1 England ( 6 June , 1998 ) World Cup Appearances 6 (First in 1987 ) Best result Champions, 2003 </div></div> The England national rugby

 union team represents England in rugby union .

They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France , Ireland , Scotland , Italy , and Wales . They have won this championship on 25 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam . England also compete for the Calcutta Cup —which they currently hold—with Scotland as part of the Six Nations. England are currently ranked fourth in the world by the International Rugby Board . They won the Rugby World Cup in 2003 and finished runner-up in 1991 and 2007 . The history of the team extends back to 1871 when the English rugby team played their first official Test match , losing to Scotland by one try. England dominated the early Home Nations Championship (now the Six Nations) which started in 1883. Following the schism of rugby football in 1895, England did not win the Championship again until 1910. England first played against New Zealand (the All Blacks ) in 1905, South Africa in 1906, and Australia in 1909.

England was one of the teams invited to take part in the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 and went on to appear in the final in the second cup in 1991 only to be defeated by Australia. Following their 2003 Six Nations Grand Slam, England won that year's World Cup — beating Australia 20–17 in extra time. They also contested the final in 2007 but finished as runners up, losing 15–6 to South Africa. England players traditionally wear white shorts, navy socks (although they are now white and red) with white tops, and a white shirt with a red rose embroidered on it, and for the first time in the English rugby team's history, their away shirt is red (up until recently, navy blue has been the traditional colour). Their home ground is Twickenham Stadium where they first played in 1910. The team is administered by the Rugby Football Union (RFU). Four former players have been inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame .

Contents File:The-First-England-Team.jpg The expansion of rugby in the first half of the 19th century was driven by ex-pupils from many of England's Public Schools , especially Rugby , who, upon finishing school, took the game with them to universities, to London , and to the counties. [2] England's first international match was against Scotland on Monday 27 March 1871 . [3] Not only was this match England's first, but it also proved to be the first ever rugby union international. [3] Scotland won the match with two tries and a conversion to one try; a 4–1 victory in front of a crowd of 4,000 people at Raeburn Place , Edinburgh . [4] A subsequent international took place at the Oval in London which saw England defeat Scotland 8–3. [5] [6] In 1875, England played their first game against the Irish at the Oval, winning 7–0; the match was Ireland's first ever Test. [7] [8] England defeated Scotland in 1880 to become the first winners of the Calcutta Cup .

[9] [10] Their first match against Wales was played on February 19 , 1881 at Richardson's Field in Blackheath . [10] [11] England recorded their largest victory, defeating the Welsh 30–0 and scoring 13 tries in the process. [11] The subsequent meeting the following year at St Helens in Swansea was a closer contest; with England winning 10–0. [12] Two years later, the first Home Nations championship was held and England emerged as the inaugural winners. [13] In 1889, England played their first match against a non-home nations team when they defeated the New Zealand Natives 7–0 at Rectory Field in Blackheath. [14] [15] In 1890 England shared the Home Nations trophy with Scotland. [16] England first played New Zealand (the All Blacks ) in 1905. The All Blacks scored five tries, worth three points at this time, to win 15–0.

[17] The following year, they played France for the first time, and later that year they first faced South Africa (known as the Springboks); James Peters was withdrawn from the England squad after the South Africans objected to playing against a black player. The match was drawn 3–3. [18] England first played France in 1907, [19] and Australia (known as the Wallabies) in 1909 when they were defeated 3–9. [20] The year 1909 saw the opening of Twickenham as the RFU's new home, which heralded a golden era for English rugby union. England's first international at Twickenham brought them victory over Wales, and England went on to win the International Championship (then known as the Five Nations) for the first time since the great schism of 1895. Although England did not retain the title in 1911, they did share it in 1912. A Five Nations Grand Slam was then achieved in 1913 and 1914 as well as in 1921 following the First World War .

England subsequently won the Grand Slam in 1924 and as well as in 1925. [21] This was despite having started 1925 with a loss to the All Black Invincibles in front of 60,000 fans at Twickenham. [22] After winning another Grand Slam in 1928, England played the Springboks in front of 70,000 spectators at Twickenham in 1931. Following the ejection of France due to professionalism in 1930, which thus reverted The Five Nations back to the Home Nations tournament, [23] England went on to win the 1934 and 1937 Home Nations with a Triple Crown, [24] and in 1935 achieved their first victory over the All Blacks. [25] [26] When the Five Nations resumed with the re-admission of France in 1947 after the Second World War , England shared the championship with Wales.

The early Five Nations competitions of the 1950s were unsuccessful for England, winning one match in the 1950 and 1951 championships. [21] England toured South Africa for the first time in 1952 where they lost to the Springboks 8–3. England won the 1953 Five Nations, and followed this up with a Grand Slam in 1957, and win in 1958. England broke France's four-championship streak by winning the 1963 Championship. [21] After this victory, England played three Tests in the Southern Hemisphere and lost all three: 21–11 and 9–6 against the All Blacks, and 18–9 against Australia. [27] England did not win a single match in 1966, and managed only a draw with Ireland. They did not win another Championship that decade. Don White was appointed as England's first-ever coach in 1969. According to former Northampton player Bob Taylor, "Don was chosen because he was the most forward-thinking coach in England".

[28] His first match in charge was an 11–8 victory over South Africa at Twickenham in 1969. Of the eleven games England played with White in charge they won three, and drew one and lost seven. He resigned as England coach in 1971. England had wins against Southern Hemisphere teams in the 1970s; with victories over South Africa in 1972, New Zealand in 1973 and Australia in 1976. The 1972 Five Nations Championship was not completed due to the Troubles in Northern Ireland when Scotland and Wales refused to play their Five Nations away fixtures in Ireland. England played in Dublin in 1973 and were given a standing ovation lasting five minutes. After losing 18–9 at Lansdowne Road , the England captain, John Pullin famously stated, "We might not be very good but at least we turned up." [29] England started the following decade with a Grand Slam victory in the 1980 Five Nations - their first for 23 years.

[30] However in the 1983 Five Nations, England failed to win a game and picked up the wooden spoon . [31] In the first Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, England were grouped in pool A alongside Australia, Japan and the United States . England lost their first game 19–6 against Australia. They went on to defeat Japan and the United States, and met Wales in their quarter-final, losing the match 16–3. [32] In 1989, England won matches against Romania and Fiji , followed by victories in their first three Five Nations games of 1990. They lost to Scotland in their last game however, giving Scotland a Grand Slam. England recovered in the following year by winning their first Grand Slam since 1980. England hosted the 1991 World Cup and were in pool A, along with the All Blacks, Italy and the United States. Although they lost to the All Blacks in pool play, they qualified for a quarter-final going on to defeat France 19–10. England then defeated Scotland 9–6 to secure a place in the final against Australia which they lost 12–6.

[33] The next year, England completed another Grand Slam and did not lose that year, including a victory over the Springboks. In the lead up to the 1995 World Cup in South Africa , England completed another Grand Slam - their third in five years. In the World Cup, England defeated Argentina , Italy and Samoa in pool play and then defeated Australia 25–22 in their quarter-final. England's semi-final was dominated by the All Blacks and featured four tries, now worth five points each, by Jonah Lomu ; England lost 45–29. [34] They then lost the third/fourth place play-off match against France. [33] In 1997, Clive Woodward became England's coach. That year, England drew with New Zealand at Twickenham after being heavily defeated in Manchester the week before. England toured Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in 1998. Many of the England team made themselves unavailable for the tour nicknamed the "tour from hell" where England suffered a record 76–0 defeat to the Wallabies.

[35] In 1999 during the last ever Five Nations match, Scott Gibbs sliced through six English tackles to score in the last minute, and the last ever Five Nations title went to Scotland. File:Twickenham Stadium, view from North Stand.jpg Up until 1910, the English rugby team used various stadia in a number of venues around England before settling at Twickenham Stadium . [54] [55] After sell-out matches at Crystal Palace in 1905 and 1906 against New Zealand and South Africa respectively, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) decided to invest in their own ground. In 1906, the RFU arranged for William Williams to find a home ground for English Rugby. The land for the ground was purchased the following year for £ 5,572 12 s and 6 d , and construction began the following year. [56] The first England match was held on October 9 , 1910 between England and Wales. England ran out winners, 11–6, beating Wales for the first time since 1898.

[57] The stadium was expanded in 1927 and again in 1932. Further upgrades did not happen until the 1990s when new North, East and West stands were built. [56] A new South stand was built in 2005 and 2006 to make the stadium into a complete bowl. The first match to be played at the redeveloped Twickenham was on Sunday November 5 , 2006 against the All Blacks. [58] England lost the match 20–41 in front of a record crowd of 82,076. [59] Although England have played home matches almost exclusively at Twickenham since 1910, they have played at Huddersfield's Galpharm Stadium twice in 1998, and at Old Trafford against New Zealand in 1997 and at Wembley Stadium against Canada in 1992. [60] [61] Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Main article: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Swing Low, Sweet Chariot is very commonly sung at England fixtures — especially at Twickenham.

The song was first sung during the final Five Nations match of 1988, against Ireland. England were losing 3–0 at half time, but in the second half scored six tries to win 35–3. Three of the tries were scored by Chris Oti , a black player winning his second England cap but making his Twickenham début. A group from Douai School began singing the gospel hymn Swing Low, Sweet Chariot – as they did for their first XV – in honour of Oti and the whole crowd joined in. From then on, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot became synonymous with Twickenham and the England team. [62] [63] [64] Strip Edit England plays in white shirts, white shorts and navy socks with white tops. The emblem on the shirts is a red rose , rather than the Plantagenet Three Lions displayed on the shirts of the England football and England cricket teams. Currently the strip is manufactured by Nike and O2 is the shirt sponsor. [65] Red is the current change strip, although prior to the introduction of the red strip, navy blue was used.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) had created the national side's emblem prior to an English team being sent to Edinburgh to play a Scottish side. A red rose was chosen to be the side’s emblem. [66] The white kit worn by the national team was taken from the kit used at Rugby School . [66] Alfred Wright, an employee of the Rugby Football Union, is credited with the standardisation and new design of the rose, which up until 1920 had undergone many variations in its depiction. [66] The Wright design is thought to have been used without minor alteration until the late 1990s. [66] It was not until 1997 that the rose was modernised when Nike became the official strip supplier. In 2003 England first used a skin-tight strip. This was intended to make it more difficult for the opposition to grasp the shirt when tackling. [67] The home and away strips for 2007 were unveiled on 15 May that year. The materials used are superior, offering improved performance to the 2003 kit.

However, a sweeping red mark on the base-white front which forms St George's Cross on the top left, and a changed away-strip (dark blue to red), have received criticism because it is felt that emphasis has been placed on St George's Cross at the expense of the traditional red rose. [68] The new strip was introduced in England's home game against Wales on 4 August , while the alternative strip was first used against France on 18 August . [69] Record Edit England's only annual tournament is the Six Nations Championship , which is played against five other European nations: France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales. The Six Nations started out as the Home Nations Championship in 1883 which England won with a Triple Crown . England have won the title more times than any other nation by winning it outright 25 times, and sharing victory ten times. Their longest wait between championships was 18 years (1892–1910). During the Six Nations, England also contests the Calcutta Cup with Scotland which England first won in 1880. They also contest the Millennium Trophy during the Six Nations with Ireland.

The Millennium Trophy was first contested in 1988 when it was won by England. Edit England have contested every Rugby World Cup since it began in 1987, reaching the final three times and winning it once in 2003 . In the inaugural tournament they finished second in their pool before losing to Wales in the quarter-finals. They again finished pool runners-up in 1991 but recovered to beat France in their quarter-final, and then Scotland in their semi-final, en-route to 12–16 final defeat to Australia. In 1995 England topped their group and defeated Australia 25–22 at the quarter-final stage before being beaten by the All Blacks in the semi-final. Their third-fourth place play-off match against France was lost 19–9. The 1999 competition saw England again finish second in the group stage. Though they proceeded to win a play-off game against Fiji they went out of the tournament in the quarter-finals, losing 44–21 to South Africa.

England exacted revenge over South Africa in the early stages of the 2003 tournament , winning 25–6 to qualify for the knockout stages as winners of Pool C. They defeated Wales in their quarter-final, before a subsequent semi-final victory against the French earned them a place in the final in Sydney. After a tense match and a 20 minute period of extra time , England triumphed 20–17 over Australia to lift the Webb Ellis Cup . The 2007 defence of the cup in France got off to a poor start, with a below par victory over the United States and a heavy 36–0 defeat to South Africa leaving the holders on the brink of elimination at the group stage. Improved performances against Samoa and Tonga saw England again reach the knockout stages as pool runners-up, before a surprise 12–10 defeat of Australia in Marseille and a narrow 14–9 victory over the host nation France carried England to a second successive final appearance. The final was played in Paris on 20 October against South Africa, who won by 15 points to 6.

England's Jonny Wilkinson became the highest overall points scorer in World Cup history when he kicked all 12 points in England's quarter-final victory over Australia in 2007. He kicked a further 9 points (including a Template:Convert/yd Template:Convert/test/A drop goal) in the semi final and 6 in the final defeat to South Africa. [70] England have the fourth most points in World Cup history with 957, and the highest number of drop-goals (18). [71] Overall See also: List of England national rugby union team matches (1988–present) England have won 316 of their 594 Test matches, a winning record of 53.20%. [72] When the World Rankings were introduced in October 2003, England were ranked first. They briefly fell to second in September that year before regaining first place. They fell to second, and then to third in June 2004. After the 2005 Six Nations they fell to sixth where they remained until they moved into fifth in December that year.

In 2006, their ranking again fell and they finished the year ranked seventh. They are currently ranked fourth, behind South Africa, New Zealand and Argentina, as of 5 November 2007 . [73] Their Test record against all nations, updated 2007-11-05 : [72] [74] IRB World Ranking Leaders Four former England representatives have been inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame : Bill Beaumont , Martin Johnson , Jason Leonard , and Wavell Wakefield . [76] [77] Wavell Wakefield represented England in 31 Tests between 1920 and 1927, including 13 Tests as captain. He was involved in three Five Nations Grand Slams in 1921, 1923 and 1924. Playing as flanker , Wakefield introduced new elements to back row tactics which beforehand concentrated on the set piece. He became a Member of Parliament in 1935, and was knighted in 1944.

He became the RFU President in 1950 and following his retirement from politics was awarded the title the first Baron Wakefield of Kendal. [78] Between 1975 and 1982, Bill Beaumont represented England in 34 Tests. Playing at lock , he was captain between 1978 and 1982 in 21 Tests including the 1980 Grand Slam — England's first since 1957. Later that year, he captained the British Lions to South Africa - the first time an Englishman had captained the Lions since 1930. Furthermore, Beaumont represented the Barbarians FC on fifteen occasions. [79] Described as arguably "the greatest forward" to play for England, [80] Martin Johnson played 84 Tests for England, and seven Tests for the British and Irish Lions. He first represented England in 1993, and later that year the Lions. He captained the Lions to South Africa in 1997, and in 1999 was appointed captain of England. He became England's most successful ever captain.

He became the first player to captain two Lions tours when he captained them in Australia in 2001. [81] He retired from Test rugby after he lead England to a Six Nations Grand Slam and World Cup victory in 2003. [80] Jason Leonard, also known as "The Fun Bus", [82] appeared 114 times for England at prop, which was the world record for international appearances for a national team until 2005, when it was surpassed by Australia's scrum-half George Gregan . [83] He was on the England team that finished runners up to Australia in the 1991 Rugby World Cup final, but avenged this twelve years later, coming on as a substitute for Trevor Woodman in England's victorious 2003 Rugby World Cup final appearance. He also went on three British and Irish Lions tours where he was capped five times. [83] Individual records Edit The record for Test career points for England is held by Jonny Wilkinson with 967 points.

[84] The record for tries is held by Rory Underwood with 49 tries; Underwood is also England's most capped back with 85 caps. The most capped England player is former prop Jason Leonard who made 114 appearances over his 14-year career. [85] England's youngest ever Test player was Henri Laird who was 18 years and 134 days old when he played against Wales in 1927. [86] Training File:All Blacks England.jpg Although the England team is governed by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), players have been contracted to their clubs since the advent of professionalism in late 1995. Since then, players have often been caught in a "power struggle" between their clubs and the RFU; this is commonly referred to as a club versus country conflict. [87] The first major conflict between England's top clubs (who play in the English Premiership ) and the RFU occurred in 1998, when some of the clubs refused to release players to tour Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

[88] The tour became known as the "Tour from hell" after an England squad of second-string players were defeated in all four Tests, including a 76–0 defeat by Australia. [89] The clubs also withdrew from the 1998–1999 European Cup (now called the Heineken Cup ). [90] In 2001, the top clubs and the RFU formed England Rugby to help govern the club and international game. The parties agreed to restrict the number of matches at club and international level that elite players (a group of 50 or 60 players selected by the RFU) could play in order to prevent player burnout and injuries. [91] In return for releasing players from club commitments, the clubs were to receive compensation from the RFU. This agreement was considered central to the England victory in the 2003 World Cup .

Sir Clive Woodward , England coach from November 1997, resigned in 2004 because he was unable to get the access to the players that he wanted; "I wanted more from the union - more training days with the players, more influence over the way they were treated - and ended up with less." [92] Andy Robinson , Woodward's successor, blamed the lack of control over players for his team's unsuccessful record. [93] Brian Ashton , who took over from Robinson, intentionally named his playing squad for Six Nations matches in 2007 at an early opportunity in the hope that their clubs would not play them in the weekend prior to a Test. [94] The RFU and the Premiership clubs are negotiating a similar deal to the one in 2001 that will enable international players to be released into the England squad prior to international matches. [95] Coaches The following is a list of all England coaches. The first appointed coach was Don White in 1969, and the current coach is Brian Ashton who took over as coach in 2006.

[96] [97] Name BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | O'Connell handed Lions captaincy O'Connell handed Lions captaincy Advertisement 'Massive honour' for Lions captain O'Connell Ireland's Paul O'Connell has been confirmed as British and Irish Lions captain for the three-Test summer tour to South Africa. The lock was one of a record 14 Irish players included in head coach Ian McGeechan's 37-man squad on Tuesday. The party also features 13 Welshmen, eight from England but only two Scots. Munster duo Keith Earls and Alan Quinlan were surprise call-ups, while Welsh wing Leigh Halfpenny and England lock Simon Shaw also made the squad. England wing Ugo Monye is also on the plane, but national captains Steve Borthwick of England, Ryan Jones of Wales and Mike Blair of Scotland were among those left out. It's important you do have forwards that are comfortable on the ball as well as being big men Lions head coach Ian McGeechan With Wales' Lee Byrne and Ireland's Rob Kearney the only full-backs in the squad, another surprise omission was England's Delon Armitage.

Leicester flanker Tom Croft, whose aerial prowess and athletic ability came to the fore in England's final two Six Nations matches, also misses out, along with international team-mate and Wasps fly-half Danny Cipriani and Wales and Ospreys number 10 James Hook. The 21-year-old Earls, who can play centre or full-back, has two Ireland caps but did not feature in the Grand Slam-winning side during the Six Nations campaign. "Keith had a cracking start to his season, and we kept an eye on him," said McGeechan. "He gives something as an option at full-back or outside centre, and he is playing very confidently." Shaw, 35, is the only player in the squad who featured on the previous tour of South Africa, when Martin Johnson led the Lions to a 2-1 series victory in 1997.

The abrasive Quinlan, 34, is not a regular with Ireland but is a player McGeechan believes "will have quite a big impact on the environment and the character of the squad as it evolves." McGeechan, who as head coach appointed Johnson as skipper 12 years ago, believes O'Connell has similar qualities to the England legend and is the ideal man to lead the Lions, on and off the field. "He leads from the front on the field and as a quality international has the respect of his fellow players all over the world," said the Scot. Ireland's Paul O'Connell has won three Lions Test caps "As a member of the 2005 tour to New Zealand he played in five matches including three Tests so knows all about the ethos and challenges of Lions tours. "I look forward to working with him and the entire squad over the coming months as we strive to develop a side that can add a successful chapter in the long history of the Lions." O'Connell, who featured in all three of the Lions Tests in the 3-0 defeat by New Zealand in 2005, said he was honoured to have the chance to captain the side against the world champions.

"This was never something I aspired to do but to be selected is a great honour," said the 29-year-old, who has made 62 Test appearances for Ireland and who got the nod ahead of his international skipper Brian O'Driscoll. "I looked at the squad last night and it will be a privilege to lead them. It's a great honour considering the captains that have gone before me, some of them legends of the game. "Brian O'Driscoll gave me a ring the other day after we had spoken to Ian and was great about it. The main thing will be leaning on the experience of the coaches and leaders within the squad. "It needs to be a big squad effort. That will be the secret to any success. The more people who have input the better." LIONS COACHING STAFF Wales assistant coach, Wasps head coach Scrum coach - Graham Rowntree Two-time Lions tourist, England scrum coach Former Lions scrum-half Matt Dawson told BBC Radio 5 Live that O'Connell has "the Martin Johnson type quality about him". "He leads by example. He has blossomed as an experienced player over the past year or so.

He's been through the mill and it is a perfect opportunity and time for him to captain the Lions." And former Lions hooker Keith Wood agreed that his former team-mate was the ideal man for the job. Wood told BBC Radio 5 Live: "There is a new level of maturity and he is a leader by example. "He talks very well and he understands how to be a captain. There is the upmost respect for him across Ireland." McGeechan said he opted for physical ball carriers among the forwards to combat the threat posed by South Africa's Bakkies Botha and Schalk Burger. "It's important you do have forwards that are comfortable on the ball as well as being big men," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "Simon Shaw is one of the most skilful forwards I've ever coached. Nathan Hines is the same. Paul O'Connell gets his hands on the ball quite a lot." Lions scrum coach Graham Rowntree added: "It's important that we took some physical animals. Because that's what South Africa are.

606: DEBATE Feel sorry for Croft, I don't know how the Lions are going to deal with the pace of Spies a_sporting_wally "They demonstrated that in the autumn internationals, how athletic they are and big. It's important that we took some character to match that and better that." McGeechan conceded he faced difficult decisions refining his squad to the 37 players unveiled at a Heathrow hotel. "Over the last six months the Lions coaching staff has attended countless matches, analysed endless games and taken the counsel of national and domestic coaches," stated McGeechan. "Today marks the end of a comprehensive and detailed selection process. "Naturally there were some tough decisions and there will be disappointed players but I am confident that this is a very strong and capable squad. Lions trip is the pinnacle - Ferris "Its composition reflects the form shown in the Six Nations and domestic rugby and has a balanced blend of experience and youth." Lions tour manager Gerald Davies added: "Being selected as a Lion is a huge honour for a player and marks a major highlight in his career.

"We now have a short space of time in which to prepare for the tour and build a team that is capable of taking on the world champions. "They might hail from four different countries but on tour they will play for the one jersey, one philosophy, one style and have one ambition: to return home as winners." Members of the Lions squad not still involved with their clubs in the Heineken Cup, the Guinness Premiership play-offs or the Magners League will head to the Spanish town of Grenada the week after next for some altitude training before heading to South Africa on 24 May. The whole squad are due to assemble at a holding camp in Surrey the week before departure, but if Munster and Cardiff Blues both reach the Heineken Cup final on 23 May, 14 Lions will be involved in that. McGeechan added that one of the reasons he opted to take 37 players, rather than his original idea of 35 or 36, was to give those players more time to recover.

British and Irish Lions squad to tour South Africa (age-club-country): Lee Byrne (28) Ospreys and Wales Rob Kearney (23) Leinster and Ireland Wing Shane Williams (32) Ospreys and Wales Leigh Halfpenny (20) Cardiff Blues and Wales Ugo Monye (26) Harlequins and England Luke Fitzgerald (21) Leinster and Ireland Tommy Bowe (25) Ospreys and Ireland Centres Tom Shanklin (29) Cardiff Blues and Wales Jamie Roberts (22) Cardiff Blues and Wales Brian O'Driscoll (30) Leinster and Ireland Keith Earls (21) Munster and Ireland Riki Flutey (29) Wasps and England Fly-half Ronan O'Gara (32) Munster and Ireland Stephen Jones (31) Llanelli Scarlets and Wales Scrum-half Mike Phillips (26) Ospreys and Wales Harry Ellis (26) Leicester and England Tomas O'Leary (25) Munster and Ireland Prop Gethin Jenkins (28) Cardiff Blues and Wales Adam Jones (28) Ospreys and Wales Andrew Sheridan (29)

 Sale and England Phil Vickery (33) Wasps and England Euan Murray (28) Northampton and Scotland Hooker Jerry Flannery (30) Munster and Ireland Lee Mears (30) Bath and England Matthew Rees (28) Llanelli Scarlets and Wales Lock Paul O'Connell, capt (29) Munster and Ireland Alun Wyn Jones (23) Ospreys and Wales Donncha O'Callaghan (30) Munster and Ireland Nathan Hines (32) Perpignan and Scotland Simon Shaw (35) Wasps and England Back-row David Wallace (32) Munster and Ireland Stephen Ferris (23) Ulster and Ireland Alan Quinlan (34) Munster and Ireland Joe Worsley (31) Wasps and England Martyn Williams (33) Cardiff Blues and Wales Jamie Heaslip (25) Leinster and Ireland Andy Powell (27) Cardiff Blues and Wales Greatest Ever: Rugby Union: Top Ten Second Rows of All Time | Bleacher Report Greatest Ever: Rugby Union: Top Ten Second Rows of All Time By Barney Corkhill , Senior Writer Aug 8, 2008

 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories 22.6K Comments The tenth installment of my Greatest Ever series is here!

In this series I will look at the greatest talents to grace various sports. This time I continue to look at Rugby Union, and, following my " Top Three Tight Head Props of All Time ," I will look at the top ten players ever to play in second row. Second Rows, also known as Locks are usually the tallest players in the rugby team, and the primary line-out jumpers. They also provide the extra push in the scrum. 10. Malcolm O'Kelly (IRE) - Standing at over two metres tall, former Ireland captain Malcolm O'Kelly is the most capped player in Irish Rugby history. Still an active member of the Ireland squad, O'Kelly has won 91 International caps in a career spanning over ten years. He has also been selected for two British and Irish Lions tours in 2001 and 2005, but he had to withdraw from the latter one due to injury. 9. Gordon Brown (SCO) - As a man who played in the amateur days of Rugby Union, Brown never got what his talents deserved. A Scottish international from 1969 to 1976 he won 30 caps for his country.

He was also selected for three Lions tours in 1971, 1974 and 1977, winning eight caps. On the 1974 Tour to South Africa, Brown scored a phenomenal eight tries for the Lions, including two against South Africa themselves to help the Lions to a fantastically successful tour. In 2001 Brown was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame. 8. Bill Beaumont (ENG) - Another member of the International Rugby Hall of Fame, Bill Beaumont is a hugely popular and highly respected figure in rugby. The former England captain won 34 caps for his country, which included the 1980 Grand Slam, an unexpected bonus and Beaumont's finest moment as captain. He won seven caps for the Lions, captaining them on the 1980 tour to South Africa. This made him the first Englishman to captain the Lions for 50 years. 7. Fabien Pelous (FRA) - Former captain of France, Pelous is their highest capped player, with 118 caps, over an international career spanning 12 years.

This total puts him second on the all time list of international caps, although Jason Leonard is sometimes put above him due to his five Lions caps being added to his 114 England caps. Nicknamed Lurch, Pelous' uncomprimising and forceful play helped his club team Toulouse to a European Cup victory. He has been part of three Rugby World Cup squads, but missed out on captaining France through the 2007 World Cup due to injury problems leading up to the tournament. 6. Sir Brian Lochore (NZ) - Not just a New Zealand legend for his playing days, but for coaching the All Blacks to so far their only World Cup triumph, Lochore is held in high esteem in his native New Zealand. Equally adept at playing number eight, he was an all round talent the likes of which we rarely see. Lochore captained the All Blacks in 18 of his 25 tests, scoring 21 points in the process. In 1999 he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame. 5.

Willie John McBride (IRE) - Incredibly, McBride didn't start playing rugby until the age of 17, yet he became one of the greatest players in Irish history. He played 63 Tests, 11 of which were as captain, in an international career that lasted 13 years. As well as this, McBride toured with the Lions five times (four as a player and one as a coach), which gave him a huge 17 Test caps. He was captain of the hugely successful 1974 tour to South Africa, partnering Gordon Brown in a formidable second row. He was involved in controversy throughout this tour, allegedly ordering a player to punch a one-eyed opposing player in his good eye to effectively blind him, so he would have to be replaced. 4. Frik du Preez (RSA) - Voted South Africa's greatest player of the twentieth century, du Preez could play in both flanker and second row. A rare all-rounder forward, he could both kick and drop-kick as well as most fly-halves. He made 38 test appearances for South Africa and will forever be regarded as one of the greats of South African rugby. 3.

John Eales (AUS) - Another one of the rare all-rounders, John Eales was perhaps the most skilled lock ever to play the game. Nicknamed "Nobody" because "Nobody's perfect", Eales is arguably Australia's most successful captain. Just to give you an idea of what a good all-rounder Eales was, he scored 173 points for Australia, yet he only scored two tries. The rest come from 99 penalties and 69 conversions. He is eighth on the list of all-time points scorers for Australia, third on the list of most tests as captain (55 of his 86 caps) and is the second most capped forward in Australian test rugby history. He is one of a handful to have won the Rugby World Cup twice, doing so in 1991 and 1999. 2. Colin Meads (NZ) - An All Black icon, Meads was one of the greatest players to ever play the game. Voted New Zealand's Player of the Century, he was renowned for his brutal play and his winning mentality.

He was an enforcer, and didn't let anything get in the way of his goal, as shown in a game where he emerged from a ruck with his arm dangling at a horrible angle, obviously broken, yet he completed the game, leading his team to victory. He won 55 caps and was captain of the All Blacks on a number of occasions, although he never got the captaincy full-time. 1. Martin Johnson (ENG) - Recently appointed manager of England, Martin Johnson has already established himself as a legend of the game and an England icon. Known for his no-nonsense approach, Johnson is a highly respected and highly decorated player. He helped his club team Leicester Tigers to five Premiership trophies and two Heineken Cups, as well as leading England to five Six Nations successes two of which were Grand Slams, and, of course, the Rugby World Cup. He very nearly played for New Zealand instead, after Colin Meads had spotted him, but a move to England blessed us with this great talent. He has been on three British and Irish Lions tours, winning eight caps, and he remains the only player ever to have captained the Lions twice.

His place in English and International rugby history is secure, whatever he may do as England manager, as he is the greatest second row of all time. Coming soon - Top Ten Flankers of All Time! For Rugby Players, Lions Matches Leave an Indelible Mark - The New York Times The New York Times Rugby |For Rugby Players, Lions Matches Leave an Indelible Mark Search For Rugby Players, Lions Matches Leave an Indelible Mark By EMMA STONEY Continue reading the main story Photo The Lions, in red, are in the middle of their once-every-12-years tour of Australia. On Tuesday, they defeated Combined New South Wales and Queensland Country by a score of 64-0. Credit Rob Griffith/Associated Press WELLINGTON — It has been billed as a tour 12 years in the making: a once-in-a-career chance for Australia’s elite — and not-so-elite — rugby players to take on the might of the British and Irish Lions. The Lions, a team featuring the best players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, tour every four years, rotating among Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

This series began with a stopover in Hong Kong for a money-generating match against the Barbarians on June 1. By the time the 125th anniversary tour ends with the final test match on July 6, the Lions will have played nine matches in Australia, including three tests against the national team, the Wallabies. Playing six matches against Australia’s state sides harkens back to an era when teams went on long tours overseas, instead of the hit-and-run trips now commonly associated with international rugby. It is a tradition that is embraced by the players and supporters of both sides. Around 20,000 Lions fans are expected in Australia during the tour. Tickets to the test matches sold out within 15 minutes. Continue reading the main story So what is the enduring appeal of the Lions? Why do players still covet the famed red jersey? For Gareth Edwards, the legendary Welsh scrum-half who played on three Lions tours and won series in New Zealand and South Africa in 1971 and 1974, the answer is simple.

Advertisement Continue reading the main story “The Lions legacy has been historically and traditionally a way of playing, and the phenomenon of guys beating the hell out of each other, coming together for a couple of weeks and actually forming a team spirit that stands the test of time,” he said. That special bond binds Lions players together long after the blood, sweat and tears have been spilled. “When you are a Lion, you can actually feel it and sense it,” Edwards said. “When you meet, it doesn’t matter how long it’s been since you met one another; you become Lions again, and you become so close again. You’ve got to be one to sense it and feel it. These players are joining a unique band of players.” A tour of this length means enduring friendships can be formed, even among rivals for the same position. Edwards made his Lions debut in 1968 in South Africa and became such good friends with his rival Roger Young, of Ireland, that Young named Edwards as his next of kin on a hospital form when he was being treated for broken ribs. Edwards later became a godfather to one of Young’s daughters, and the two remain in regular contact.

“There isn’t a couple months go by without an e-mail or something from Roger,” Edwards said. “We’ve maintained that friendship, and I know there are many of those within the Lions setup” The history and an appreciation of those players that have gone before them is also a huge part of the Lions legacy. Advertisement Continue reading the main story For those, like Edwards, who were part of winning series, their deeds are etched in sports folklore. Only the 1997 Lions in South Africa, captained by England’s Martin Johnson, have won a series since the game turned professional in 1995. And for Brian O’Driscoll, an all-time great of the game who is on his fourth Lions tour, a series victory is the one thing he wants most after missing out in 2001 (Australia), 2005 (New Zealand) and 2009 (South Africa). Photo "‘Until you win a series, it’s difficult to place yourself in that elite group of great Lions players,’’ said Brian O'Driscoll of Ireland. Credit Rob Griffith/Associated Press “Until you win a series, it’s difficult to place yourself in that elite group of great Lions players,” he said.

“It’s not enough to produce one-off performances or be nearly men,” he added. “You’ve got to win a series to be properly remembered.” That applies equally to the Lions’ opposition — they get a shot at glory only once every 12 years. Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up Privacy Policy For John Eales, that opportunity came in 2001 when he captained Australia to a 2-1 series victory over the Lions. “It was such an important series in Australia for a number of reasons, too, because it was a series that caught the imagination of a lot of people outside of traditional rugby people as well,” Eales said. “We’d come from being a fairly average team to a team that won the Bledisloe Cup back from New Zealand. We’d won the World Cup in 1999 and then the Tri-Nations. “Beating the British and Irish Lions in a series was something no Australian team had ever done. It was a huge year.” It was also the first time many of the Australian players had experienced a “home” crowd dominated by opposition supporters cheering and singing so passionately.

Advertisement Continue reading the main story In the first test match in Brisbane, fans swathed in the Lions colors were described as a “sea of red.” “It startled our team initially,” Eales said. “There would always be a few supporters from the different teams we played, but there is no doubt we were surprised by how unified and on-song those supporters were and how many there were. “It really struck us to the extent that when we ran out the tunnel, all we could see was this grandstand full of red.” That support, and superb tries by Jason Robinson and O’Driscoll, lifted the Lions to a comfortable 29-13 victory. In the second test in Melbourne, Australia was again trailing at halftime. “But the room was buoyant,” Eales recalled. “We really felt that we were doing a lot of things well it just wasn’t falling our way. But we felt it was about to happen. “Then early in the second half Joe Roff got an intercept try, and I think that was the real signal for us of the turnaround.

We won that game really well, 35-14, and then went to Sydney.” The final test went down to the wire, and Australia needed two tries from Daniel Herbert to tie the score, 23-23. Matt Burke then kicked two penalties to put the Australians in front, 29-23, before Justin Harrison, who was making his international debut and had been described as a “plank,” a “plod” and an “ape” by the Lions player Austin Healey before the match, leaped in front of the captain Johnson to claim a crucial line-out steal to seal the victory — and the series triumph. “We went into it looking forward to it and knowing we could win,” Eales said. “But we also knew it was going to be exceptionally tough, which it was.” This test series is likely to be just as tight and tough as 12 years ago. “The Aussies know the reputation of the Lions. They are all waiting to put one over them,” said Edwards, who is now an ambassador for HSBC, the Lions’ major tour sponsor.

“But with the quality of players the Lions have got, if they can get this team ticking along and getting the best side out, I think they are going to be a formidable side.” Eales, not unsurprisingly, is backing Australia. “I think it will be an exceptionally close series whichever way it goes,” he said. “There are not going to be a lot of points in any of the test matches. But I’m definitely picking Australia can do it.” A version of this article appears in print on June 14, 2013, in The International Herald Tribune. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe

Question: Who is the only player to have captained the British Lions Rugby Union team on two tours?
Answer: MARTIN JOHNSON